E-Business Implications for Productivity and Competitiveness

Abstract: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) affects to a great extent the output and productivity growth. Evidence suggests that investment growth in ICT has rapidly accelerated the TFP (total factor productivity) growth within the European Union. Such progress is particularly essential for the sectors which themselves produce new technology, but it is dispersing to other sectors, as well. Nevertheless, decrease in ICT investment does not necessarily decline the ICT contribution to output and productivity growth. These variations come out from the problems related to the particular phenomenon proper assessment, but predominantly from the companies' special requirements, as well as the necessary adjustments of labour employed. Hence, this paper aims at estimating the huge distinction in terms of ICT and TFB contributions to labour productivity growth among some of the European member states, as well as the factors which might stand behind the particular findings.